Under the Nile’s Scrappy Dogs are Made from the Company’s Leftover Organic Clothing Scraps

by , 05/25/13   filed under: eco toddler, green gifts, green kids

eco-toddler, green baby, green baby shower gift, organic toy, organic stuffed animal, affordable organic toys, Under The Nile

It’s not often you find an organic stuffed toy for under $15. Luckily, Under the Nile is offering affordable, cuddly plush toys for green tots with their new collection of cute Scrappy Dogs. These quirky and colorful Scrappys are made from 100% GOTS certified Egyptian Organic cotton scraps left over from the production of Under the Nile clothing. The Scrappy Dogs’ slim body design makes them easy for little hands to hold — and these guys can be machine washed to stay squeaky clean. Each puppy is a unique surprise due to their upcycled qualities, and your child is sure to get a dog he loves. If your child is more of a cat person, opt for Scrappy Kitties, for the same low price.

+ Scrappy Dogs $14.00

+ Under the Nile

facebook this email email 0

Advertisement

6 Eco-Friendly Lacing Toys That Will Hone Your Child’s Dexterity

by , 05/24/13   filed under: eco toddler, green family, green gifts, green kids, green toys, kids entertainment

 
 
Lacing toys are a fun way for kids to work on pre-sewing skills, but they are much more than that. In addition to helping with dexterity and fine motor skills, lacing toys keep little hands busy and entertained on long car or plane rides, at restaurants, or even while waiting in line at the store. We found 6 lacing toys and toy sets from Etsy, many of which go beyond the basics and can help your child learn shapes and colors too. Of course, tots will also be getting a green message as well, since these products are made from sustainably sourced wood and are finished with natural, non-toxic products. Read on for 6 wooden lacing toys that will will keep your tot happy and occupied, all while learning a valuable skill!
 


READ MORE >

facebook this email email 0

Miniature Lille Huset Dollhouses are Cute and Customizable

by , 05/24/13   filed under: diy kids crafts, eco play, green design, green kids

 
 
We featured Alyson Beaton’s adorable Lille Huset Dollhouses last spring, and now the company is offering a new collection of miniature dollhouses for kids to create, color and customize as an inspiring and rewarding craft activity.
 


READ MORE >

facebook this email email 0

Upcycle Your T-Shirts Into a Blanket with Project Repat

by , 05/24/13   filed under: craft, eco decor, green bedding, green design

kickstarter, kickstarter campaign, Project Repat, upcycling ideas, upcycling outgrown shirts, upcycling t-shirts, t-shirt quilts, t-shirt blankets, DIY project, made in the USA company, USA jobs, 99Degrees Custom Manufacturing, Brenna Nan Schneider, baby t-shirt onesie, how to make a onesie from a t-shirt, double-sided t-shirt quilts, fleece-sided t-shirt quilts, Ross Lohr, Nathan Rothstein

With summer right around the corner, your family is bound to start accumulating an onslaught of T-shirts from summer camp, sports games and volunteering events. Even if you try to avoid freebie Tees, you’re still stuck with a pile of T-shirts your kids have outgrown. Here’s a crafty tip: Project Repat transforms your pile of obsolete Tees into awesome T-shirt blankets that are perfect for park and picnic season. You get to preserve all the memories intertwined in the clothing while supporting textile jobs in the USA.



READ MORE >

facebook this email email 0

VIDEO HOW TO: Get Started With Cloth Diapers

by , 05/23/13   filed under: green baby, green diapers, how-to, video

Are you still using disposable diapers? Lots of American parents are — an estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used and thrown out in the US each year, and those stinky disposable diapers sit without decomposing for over 500 years (or more!) in landfill! Gross, right? To avoid a nasty, diaper-filled Wall-E vision of the future for your grandchildren, (and to help your kids potty-train earlier), we recommend all parents to consider cloth diapering. Getting started with cloth diapers can seem like a daunting task. But with well-designed hybrid cloth diapers that use a combination of washable inserts and super-stylin’ shells, green diapering is not what it used to be and it’s easy enough for even the most sleep-deprived new parents to handle. What’s more, chemical-free cloth diapers are better for your baby’s skin, will help your tot potty train earlier and you’ll save money in the long run. So we got together with Carolyn Sutton of Charlie Banana to get a primer in cloth diapering. Keep reading to find out what you need and how to get organized, the best ways to launder green diapers and the answer to everyone’s burning question, “What in the world do you do with the poo?”





READ MORE >

facebook this email email 0

HOW TO: Make Bright Pink Hummus Dyed with Raw Beetroot

by , 05/23/13   filed under: cooking, food, green party, recipe, vegan cooking
 
 
Whether your kiddo loves pink, or you need festive fare for a birthday bash, or you just want to add a fun pop of color to an otherwise drab looking dip, pink hummus will put a smile on everyone's face! Here we show you how to reinvent the classic Middle Eastern dip by jazzing it up with a vibrant hue using natural pigments from beetroot. This is a great lesson for your pint-size sous chef to learn: don't use harmful artificial colors when nature can accomplish bold shades in a healthy manner.

Eye-catching and sweet, this pink hummus is great for dipping vegetables in and will not go unnoticed at a table. It is also a rich source of antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, Vitamin C and sodium. A compound called Betaine gives the veggie its crimson color which also helps reduce blood pressure and increase stamina!
 

READ MORE >

facebook this email email 0

Fourth-Grader’s Undercover Documentary Film Exposes New York’s Gross School Lunches

by , 05/22/13   filed under: education, food

cj maxwell, zachary maxwell, ps 130 hernando de soto, little italy public school, new york city department of education, school lunches, advertised school lunches, what is actually served in school lunches, yuck - a 4th grader's short documentary about school lunch, manhattan film festival

Eleven-year-old Zachary Maxwell, a fourth grade student at P.S. 130 Hernando De Soto in Manhattan’s Little Italy, asked his parents if he could start taking a packed lunch to school — but they didn’t see why he should. School lunches were free, and they sounded fantastic according to the New York City Department of Education website. But Zachary’s parents didn’t know that what was really being served at his school wasn’t at all what was being advertised on the website. So Zachary snuck a camera into his school and filmed what he was being served for lunch for six months, compiling insider footage on the NYC school lunch program.


READ MORE >

facebook this email email 0

Advertisement

EWG Releases 2013 Sunscreen Guide + Ranks Top & Worst Rated Sunscreens

by , 05/22/13   filed under: green family, green kids, health & body

2013 safe sunscreen, affordable sunscreen, best sunscreens, chemical free sunscreen, eco friendly sunscreen, Environmental Working Group, ewg safe sunscreen guide, healthy sunscreen, kids health, less expensive sunscreen, organic sunscreen, safe sunscreen, safe sunscreen guide, safer sunscreen, sunblock, sunscreen for babies, sunscreen for kids, worst sunscreens
Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Just in time for the Memorial Day holiday, Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released their 7th annual Sunscreen Guide. Like previous year’s guides, this guide rates the safety and efficacy of more than 1,400 sunscreens, lotions, lip products and makeups that claim to offer sun protection. Each year EWG rates the various sun protection products on various factors, including:

  • Health hazards – which includes an ingredient assessment.
  • Efficacy – which figures in UVB protection, UVA protection, balance of UVA/UVB protection and sunscreen stability.
  • Safety – which is based on the ingredient health hazard scoring system of EWG’s Skin Deep database.

The overall rating for each sun protection product is calculated using an EWG formula that reflects a combination of the above factors. The good news: this year, 184 beach & sport sunscreens met EWG’s criteria for safety and efficiency. The bad news: those 184 products represent just one quarter of all sunscreens reviewed in 2013, meaning many sunscreen products on the market offer poor skin protection and contain harmful ingredients with potentially serious safety concerns. Keep reading to see key facts about this year’s sunscreen guide as well as the top rated and worst rated sunscreen choices of 2013.

READ MORE >

facebook this email email 1

Spit Cleaning Your Baby’s Pacifier May Lessen His Risk of Developing Eczema & Asthma

Spit Cleaning Your Baby’s Pacifier May Lessen His Risk of Developing Eczema & Asthma

Image Courtesy of Shutterstock Every parent has watched in slow motion horror as their baby’s beloved pacifier has fallen on public ground while out and about. And many parents have probably also

READ MORE >

0

3D Handcrafted Vintage Comic Letters Add Some Kapow! To Your Kid’s Room

3D Handcrafted Vintage Comic Letters Add Some Kapow! To Your Kid’s Room

Comic books of yore have given way to video games and iPads, but you can still give your little Superman or Wonder Woman an appreciation for the entertainment of your ancient history via a 3D handcrafted

READ MORE >

0

High-Tech Baby Monitor Records Baby’s Vital Signs, Alerts Caregivers of Problems

High-Tech Baby Monitor Records Baby’s Vital Signs, Alerts Caregivers of Problems

Image courtesy of Shutterstock What if the same mattress pad you put your baby to sleep on each day and night could tell you (and your doctor) when your little one comes down with a fever or if his

READ MORE >

0

Study Shows Bed Rest During Pregnancy May Not Decrease Risk of Premature Birth

Study Shows Bed Rest During Pregnancy May Not Decrease Risk of Premature Birth

Image courtesy of Shutterstock A new study published in a recent issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology notes that “therapeutic” bed rest during pregnancy may be over-recommended, and may

READ MORE >

0

The World’s First LEGO School Set to Open in Denmark!

The World’s First LEGO School Set to Open in Denmark!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock The children of Denmark are about to become the envy of every kid on the planet. The International School of Billund will open its doors in August as the world’s very

READ MORE >

0

Juniorbeads: Cheery Nontoxic Necklaces for Stylish Girls

Juniorbeads: Cheery Nontoxic Necklaces for Stylish Girls

Kids go from the teething stage to the terrible twos phase to becoming tween fashionistas before you know it. With this fast-paced evolution in mind, Chewbeads, the company behind the glorious nontoxic

READ MORE >

0

Ready, Set, Baby! is a Digital Guide to Raising Baby for the iPad Generation of Parents

Ready, Set, Baby! is a Digital Guide to Raising Baby for the iPad Generation of Parents

Parents of newborns and babies are never at a loss when it comes to baby related questions and quandaries, and Ready, Set, Baby! is a virtual dream come true for a new generation of moms and dads who

READ MORE >

0

Kids Can Transform Boxes into People, Pets, Robots, Vehicles & More Using Box Props by Makedo

Kids Can Transform Boxes into People, Pets, Robots, Vehicles & More Using Box Props by Makedo

READ MORE >

0

Top 6 Green Play Mats for Babies and Toddlers

Top 6 Green Play Mats for Babies and Toddlers

READ MORE >

3

Kids Build Dream Homes with qb Playhouses

Kids Build Dream Homes with qb Playhouses

Kids are full of boundless, vibrant creativity, and qb Playhouses enable a child to channel his or her fanciful imagination and colorful take on life into a one-of a-kind miniature abode. Via an easy,

READ MORE >

1

LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!